1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stereoscopic image conversion panel and a stereoscopic image display apparatus having the stereoscopic image conversion panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a stereoscopic image display apparatus capable of displaying a 3-D stereoscopic image has been developed, in response to increasing demand for 3-D stereoscopic images in applications such as games, movies, and so on.
Generally, a stereoscopic image display apparatus displays two different 2-D flat images so that each of the user's eyes receives a slightly different view. As a result, the user perceives a 3-D stereoscopic image. For example, a user may view a pair of 2-D flat images, which the user's brain synthesizes so that a stereoscopic image is perceived.
Stereoscopic image display apparatus types are divided into stereoscopic and auto stereoscopic apparatus, depending on whether or not the viewer wears special glasses. Stereoscopic displays include a polarizing type, a time divisional type, and so on. Auto stereoscopic displays include a parallax-barrier type, a lenticular type, a blinking light type, and so on.
Among the above display types, the lenticular type stereoscopic image display apparatus includes a backlight assembly that emits light, a display panel that displays a flat image using the light, a stereoscopic image conversion panel selectively converting the flat image into the stereoscopic image, and a switching panel selectively displaying one of the flat images and the stereoscopic image. For this type of display, the stereoscopic image conversion panel includes a lenticular lens that selectively refracts light that is polarized to have a predetermined direction, to convert the flat image into the stereoscopic image.
In a lenticular type stereoscopic image display apparatus, the stereoscopic image conversion panel generally includes concave lenses having a hemispheric shape. Liquid crystal molecules are arranged in a receiving space formed by the concave lenses. The concave lenses with the liquid crystal molecules in the receiving space refract the light that is polarized to have the predetermined direction, converting the flat image into the stereoscopic image.
However, since the stereoscopic image conversion panel includes concave lenses with a hemispheric shape, the thickness of the stereoscopic image conversion panel is relatively large. In addition, because of the hemispheric shape of the concave lenses, the number of liquid crystal molecules received in the concave lenses is also relatively large.